My Country Man
by GCGirl4Life
Summary: Thomas Luther Bryan. You may know him better as Luke Bryan. Country singer, songwriter, gorgeous as can be, dance moves that are goofy and hot as hell at the same time. He's also the love of my life. Every song he's ever made into a single on his last few albums has been written about me. Bet you didn't know that now did you? Let me back up a few, and start from the beginning.
1. Country Girl Shake It For Me

Thomas Luther Bryan. You may know him better as Luke Bryan. Country singer, songwriter, gorgeous as can be, dance moves that are goofy and hot as hell at the same time. He's also the love of my life. Every song he's ever made into a single on his last few albums has been written about me. Bet you didn't know that now did you? Let me back up a few, and start from the beginning.

Luke and I met in Georgia at a party. I later found out the party was at his house. I didn't know this at the time cause my friend dragged me to the party. I remember I was dancing with one of my girlfriends, Alison, in the barn where the party was being held, when this big ol' truck pulled up outside the doors. The speakers were booming, and from what I could see through the windows, there were a few guys in the truck. The doors opened, and I looked to see who the driver of that truck was. A pair of boots jumped down into the mud, and then a figure stepped out from behind the door. I felt my heart jump into my throat, and all the noise around me died. Standing there, grinning a pearly white smile, with a little scruff around his mouth and chin, wearing a dark v neck t-shirt and baseball cap was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen.

"Who is that?" I asked her, leaning close to her ear and nodding my head in the gorgeous man's direction.

"Oh, that's Luke!" Alison said, smiling and waving at him. He waved back, then turned his head towards me. He flashed a grin, and I felt my knees wobble a little. "This is his family's farm. I went to high school with him. Luke! Come here!" She waved him over, and I started panicking. I smoothed my skirt, straightened my hair, anything I found remotely wrong. He sauntered on up and leaned down to give Alison a one-armed hug.

"Hey there, Ali, glad you could make it," he drawled in a deep, sexy voice. He stood up and turned to me. "And who might you be, pretty lady?" he asked. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

"This is my friend, Karen," Alison said, squeezing my hand. "She moved in next door to me a little while ago, and we became fast friends."

"Well, miss Karen, thank you for coming to my party." He took my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the knuckles. As he did it, he looked deep into my eyes, and I swear I felt a shot of electricity course through my body.

"No problem, Luke," I smiled back. I heard another good song come on, and took the opportunity to be bold. "You wanna dance?" He grinned, his teeth shining.

"Sure."

"I'm gonna go get a drink," Alison said, winking at me. She disappeared into the crowd, and Luke grabbed my hand. He pulled me into the crowd a little, then let go and we both started dancing to the beat. I was shaking my hips back and forth, waving my hands in the air. It was no secret to anyone who knew me personally that I loved to dance. Luke also seemed to take notice.

"Yeah, shake it for me girl!" he laughed. "You got some hips there, Karen."

"Just shaking what my momma gave me," I smirked, winking at him. He laughed, and we continued dancing. Pretty soon, a slow song came on.

"You still wanna dance?" he asked, placing a hand on my hip. His thumb rubbed small circles on the exposed skin, and I couldn't help but nod. He pulled me in closer, gathering me in his arms. His hand on my hip moved to the small of my back, while the other went to the top, along my shoulder blades. He tucked my head under his chin, and my arms went instinctively around his waist. We swayed back and forth, just enjoying the song. I breathed in his scent; he smelled of cut grass and a musky cologne. In other words, he smelled divine. After the song ended, he grinned down at me and took my hands.

"Come with me," he whispered in my ear. He led me to the other side of the barn, towards a ladder. He climbed up the ladder, gesturing for me to follow him. I followed willingly, trying so hard not to stare at his butt. Once we got to the top, he took my hand again and led me over to the open window where they loaded the hay in. There were a couple hay bales scattered around it. He sat down, his back against one, and pulled me down to sit in between his legs, my back against his chest. He wrapped my arm around my stomach, lacing his fingers over my belly button.

"What are we doing up here?" I asked quietly.

"I just thought you'd like to get away from the noise and talk, get to know each other a little better," he said in my ear, his lips grazing the lobe. "That okay?" he whispered. I swallowed and nodded.

"So where you from?" he asked, bringing a hand up to twirl a strand of my hair around his finger.

"A small town in Florida nobody's ever heard of," I laughed.

"What brought you here?" he laughed back. "Small town getting too small for you?"

"Nah," I laughed again. "After my daddy died and I finished college, I was tired of living with my momma, so I decided to move up here. Change of scenery, trying something new. Alison's been great, showing me around town and helping me out. She's an awesome friend."

"Yeah she is," he agreed, nodding. "We had a class together in high school, and she was always nice to everyone, helping kids out and the like."

"Yeah, that sounds like her. It's convenient to have such a good friend living in the apartment across the hall from you." He nodded, resting his chin on top of my head.

"What did your daddy die of if you don't mind me asking?"

"Cancer."

"I'm sorry, darling," he mumbled, squeezing me a little. I shrugged.

"It's alright. It happens to the best of us. Cancer just sucks."

"Yeah, it does."

"Do you bring all the girls you meet at parties up here, or am I just special?" I teased, turning a little to look at him.

"You're plenty special, babe," he smiled at me.

"Thanks," I grinned. We spent the next few hours just sitting there and talking. I learned his real name was Thomas Luther Bryan, but he went by Luke cause that was what his momma called him. He was the youngest of three, with an older brother and sister. His brother and sister, though, had passed away, his sister most recently. He was an aspiring singer/songwriter, and wanted to hopefully one day be a popular country singer.

"Karen? Luke? Where are you? You up here?" I heard Alison calling. I heard boots clomping on the ladder, and saw her head pop up through the little door. "Hey hun, you ready to go? The party's wrapping up, and I know you got work in the morning." I nodded reluctantly, then turned to look back at Luke. "I'll go wait in the car for you." She disappeared back down the ladder, and Luke stood up, pulling me with him.

"So, you got a cellphone?" he half-grinned, poking my belly. I giggled and reached into my pocket, pulling out my iPhone. I went to contacts and typed his name, then handed it to him so he could type in his number. Then he called himself from my phone and saved my number. He walked me out to the edge of the barn, taking my hands in his.

"I'll text you as soon as the boys and I finish cleaning up, alright?" he said softly, looking into my eyes.

"Okay," I looked down, pouting a little.

"Hey, now, none of that," he chuckled, tilting my chin up with his fingers. "I promise you'll hear from me. We'll make plans to see each other again. Maybe I can take you out one night? How does that sound?"

"Perfect," I smiled. He smiled back, then leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"You better get going, Ali looks a little impatient over there," he laughed, nodding towards the car. I looked, and sure enough, she was staring at us, tapping her watch. But I could tell she was just goofing by the look in her eyes. He gave me a big, warm hug, then gave me a gentle push towards Ali's car. "I'll text you, darling," he called after me. I got into the car and shut the door, putting on my seat belt. I waved as Alison back the car out, then she turned and sped off down the road. Last thing I saw was Luke waving back.


	2. I Don't Want This Night To End

I knocked frantically on Alison's door the next morning.

"Coming, coming!" she called from inside. She flung open the door, and when she saw it was me, she chuckled a little. "What is it Karen?" I thrust my phone at her, waving it in her face, squealing.

"Read it! Read it! Read it!" She scrolled through the screen, and then looked up at me and squealed with me.

"'Hey pretty lady,'" she read out loud. "I just wanted to tell you again, I had a lot of fun with you last night. I really wanna see you again. Wanna go out tonight? Let me know. Luke.'" She looked back up at me and squealed again, bouncing up and down on her toes.

"Karen, this is so exciting! I could tell you two were gettin' along real well last night. What are you going to say?"

"I'm saying yes! Duh!" I exclaimed, snatching the phone back. "Alison, you have no idea how he made me feel that night. His eyes are so mesmerizing, and that smile! Oh my god, and don't tell him I said this, but he has a real nice butt!" We both burst out laughing, and she held up her pinky so we could pinky promise.

"I won't tell, I swear," she giggled. "I'm glad you and he both have found someone that makes you happy. I gotta finish cleaning, but let me know what he says, and if you want any help getting ready, okay?"

"Will do! I'll catch you later," I said, backing into my apartment. "Thanks for sharing my enthusiasm."

"No problem." She smiled at me, then closed her door. I quickly flopped down on my couch and hit 'reply.'

_Aw, I had fun with you too! Yes, of course I want to go out with you tonight! Just let me know when and where and I'll be ready :) -Karen_

As I waited for Luke to reply, I made myself a BLT and watched a game show while I ate. As it went to a commercial, my phone chimed.

_Great! How 'bout I pick you up at 6? And you're not allowed to know, it's a surprise ;) -Luke_

I smiled as I hit 'reply' again.

_Lol can I at least know how I should dress? I don't wanna be over or under dressed. -Karen_

His reply came back much quicker this time.

_Whatever you're comfortable in darling. I'm not worried about being fancy, I just wanna make sure we have a good time together :) -Luke_

My heart melted at his sweet words.

_I'm sure we will :) I'll see you at 6 then! -Karen_

_Sounds good! See you then beautiful :) -Luke_

I checked the time on my DVR's clock: 1:50. So I had about four hours to get ready. I didn't need that much time. I decided to take a nap for a little bit, and I'd wake up at four to shower and get ready.

When my alarm sounded two hours later, I yawned and stretched, then dragged myself out from under the covers and entered the bathroom. I got the shower all nice and hot, and quickly stepped in to wash myself. Once that was done, I dried myself off and put on undergarments. I scanned the closet, humming to myself as I tried to pick out an outfit. I finally picked out a pair of jean shorts, a white tank top with a plaid button down on top, and a pair of boots. Once I was dressed, I went to the bathroom again to dry and brush my hair. As I was finishing running a brush through it, my phone chimed.

_Address? :) -Luke_

I smiled and texted him where I lived, then went back to fixing my hair. Once I finished, I dabbed a little concealer on, with a touch of mascara and lipgloss. I grabbed my wallet off the nightstand, stuffed it in my pocket along with my cell phone, and went to grab my keys off the kitchen counter. Just as I scooped them up, there was knock on the door.

"Coming!" I called out. I scurried over to the door and removed the chain, opening it to see Luke standing there in a blue plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up and jeans.

"Woo," Luke whistled, staring at me with a smile on his face. "Damn you look good."

"You don't look so bad yourself," I giggled.

"Thank you," he laughed. He offered me his hand. "You ready to go?"

"You bet." I locked the door behind me, then took Luke's hand as we went down the steps of my apartment building. He helped me up into the passenger seat of his truck, then came around and jumped in.

"So do I get to know where we're going yet?" I asked as he backed the truck out of the parking lot.

"Nope," he chuckled. He flicked on the radio to the local country station as we drove down the road, and I softly hummed to the songs, looking out the window at the passing fields. Luke reached over and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. I looked over at him and smiled, and he lifted my hand to kiss it.

"Thank you for agreeing to go out with my tonight, Miss Karen," he said, brushing his thumb over my knuckles.

"No problem," I grinned. "I'm happy you asked me to."

"Well I really like you," he told me, causing my inner Karen to do a happy dance. "I think we had a lot of fun at the party. You really know how to dance."

"Thanks," I laughed. "I've always loved to dance. I took ballet when I was younger, but that never really went anywhere."

"Why not?" Luke asked, turning down a dirt road.

"Well, my momma and daddy got divorced, and when they did, my momma had to get a new job and move, so I couldn't keep going to the same studio. I was stubborn and liked Miss Tasha, so I didn't want to go anywhere else." Luke nodded as he listened.

"It's stuck with you though, that's for damn sure," he laughed. "You really know how to groove."

"Thank you."

"You hungry?"

"What?"

"I asked if you're hungry," he chuckled. It was then that I realized the truck had stopped, and we were in a field. Luke pointed, and under a tree was a picnic blanket and basket spread out.

"Oh, Luke," I sighed. "Thank you," I said, turning to him and squeezing his hand. "You didn't have to do this."

"But I wanted to," he said, winking at me. He got out, then came around and opened my door, helping me down. We went over to the picnic blanket and sat down.

"So what's for dinner?" I asked, sitting cross-legged.

"My momma's pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, and lemonade," he said, pulling the dishes out along with a thermos. He pulled out a couple paper plates, some forks and napkins, and two mason jars. He poured the lemonade in the mason jars, and handed me a glass.

"Mmm!" I said after I took a sip. "That's some damn good lemonade!"

"Thank you," he said, making me a plate. "Made it myself."

"You made it perfectly." He handed me a plate, then made himself one. "Thank you."

"No problem. Dig in. I hope you like it," he smiled. As we ate, we talked about everything, from childhood memories to favorite things, from plans after college to funny yet embarrassing stories.

"Man, I'm stuffed," I said, leaning back and rubbing my stomach. "That was delicious. Tell your momma I said thank you."

"Will do," he said, packing up the basket. "Ready to go?"

"Where we going?" I asked sadly, hoping he wasn't taking me home now.

"You'll see," he winked, standing up and pulling me with him. He led me over to the truck and threw the basket in the back before helping me into the seat. He got in and put the truck in drive, and drove through the field. As he did, he cranked the stereo. I started dancing in my seat, and he laughed.

"Here, hold on." He pressed a button, and I heard the sunroof open. I stood up on the seat and threw my hands up as I got my torso through the opening. I could hear Luke laughing below, and the music got louder. I danced and sang as Luke drove, and I could feel him wrap a hand around my thigh and give it an affectionate squeeze.

"Alright, get down here, crazy," he called up. I laughed and lowered myself back into the seat. It was dark out now, and we were in another clearing. The stars were out, and they were shining bright.

"Wow," I whispered. "They're beautiful."

"Yeah," Luke said, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me over to his side of the truck. "My buddies and I come out here sometimes and have bonfires, so the stars are pretty bright out here."

"They sure are," I said, leaning onto Luke's chest. He wrapped his arms around me, and we just sat there listening to the music and watching the stars. I was so comfortable here with him. It was as easy as breathing. We could be doing nothing and I'd be fine with that, as long as I was with Luke.

I must've fallen asleep, cause the next thing I knew, Luke was gently shaking me.

"Karen? Karen, darling, wake up," he said softly. I stirred in his arms, and he laughed. "You fell asleep, silly."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," he said, brushing my cheek with his hand as I turned in his arms. "You looked so peaceful, I didn't wanna wake you."

"Thank you," I told him. As I rubbed my eyes again, I saw how close I was sitting to Luke. "Oh, sorry, I…" I tried to scoot back, but Luke placed a firm hand on my lower back, pulling me back in.

"Come here," he whispered. He leaned in, and I gasped softly as his face came closer. Just when I was about to protest, his lips met mine in a sweet, soft, electrifying kiss. I closed my eyes and kissed him back, my hands resting on his shoulders as his lips molded to mine. I don't know how long we were kissing, but by the time we both pulled away, we were both out of breath.

"Wow," I sighed.

"Darling, I can tell you with all the truth I can muster," Luke said softly. "That you are the best kisser I've ever kissed."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes lighting up. Luke laughed and nodded. I leaned in and kissed him again, throwing my arms around his neck. His went to my waist and squeezed affectionately. "You're not too bad yourself," I winked. He laughed again and pecked me on the lips. I then caught eye of the clock. "Oh my God, it's 3:35 in the morning!"

"So?" Luke laughed. I turned and looked at him, and he was dead ass serious. "There's plenty of gas, and the night's still alive," he said gleefully. I smacked his arm playfully. "Alright, let's get you home then Miss Pouty."

"Shut up," I giggled. He turned the truck back on and around, and we drove back up through the field the way we came. He turned the radio on too, and I danced again like I had before, halfway through the sunroof. Once we got to the main road, I sat back down, and cuddled against Luke's side as he drove. Once we got to my apartment, he helped me out and walked me to the door. I wanted to ask him to stay, but I knew that'd be moving too fast, so I decided against it.

"I had a great time tonight," Luke told me, gathering me in his arms and holding me close. "I wanna make this a regular thing, okay?"

"Go on dates all the time? Does this mean you're my boyfriend?" I asked hopefully. He smiled and leaned in to kiss me.

"If you want me to be," he whispered against my lips. "Normally I don't say yes till after a couple dates, but there's just something about you, baby." I hummed in delight and hugged him.

"Of course I want you to be," I said. He smiled and kissed me over and over.

"Alright, I gotta get home before my momma sends out the search party," he laughed. He kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand. "Goodnight Karen."

"Night Luke," I grinned. He waved as he went back down the steps, and I quickly went inside to watch him drive away from my window. He saw me looking and waved before backing out and driving off. I smiled and danced my way to the bathroom, smiled and danced in the shower, and smiled and danced my way to bed. As I climbed under the sheets, I looked at my phone.

_Goodnight my beautiful girlfriend. I'll see you soon. Have sweet dreams :* -Luke_


	3. Drunk On You

Luke and I were inseparable. We did everything together; hung out in our free time, went on fun dates, went to parties together, danced, drank, and just in general had fun.

There was one party we went to that I'll never forget; we were all dancing in tail light circles and drinking crown out of Dixie cups. Luke loved to dance with me and watch me dance. He had some pretty great moves, but sometimes he'd dance like a goofball just to make me laugh.

"Karen, get down off the tailgate," Luke laughed, reaching for me. I shook my head and laughed, continuing to dance. I looked down at him, winking, and I saw him bite his lip.

"Mmm hmm, girl, you lookin' so good in what's left of those blue jeans," he mumbled, reaching up and yanking me off the tailgate. He yanked me in for a kiss, a hot and heavy one I might add.

"Baby," I laughed, pulling away. "People are watching."

"So?" he chuckled, kissing my neck. "Mmm, you smell like honey."

"Luke Bryan, are you drunk?" I giggled.

"Drunk on you, and high on summertime," he whispered in my ear. I shivered and laughed, his breath tickling my ear. I told him I'd be right back and went over to the cooler to grab some of the home-made wine in the water bottles. As I turned around, I bumped into someone, spilling it all over my t-shirt. Well, at least it was tied-up.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry," this girl's voice cried. "Here, here, take this towel," I looked up, and this blonde chick was handing me a beach towel.

"Thanks, it's okay," I said, mopping up the spill. I handed it back to her and smiled. "I'm Karen, by the way."

"Caroline," she grinned, shaking my hand. "You here alone?"

"Oh, no, I'm here with my boyfriend, Luke," I told her.

"Luke Bryan?" she asked. I nodded, and she smiled. "I know him from college. You're a lucky girl. You joining us this year?"

"Yes ma'am," I grinned. We laughed, and we jumped up on the tailgate to talk. We talked about what we were majoring in, friends, family, and pretty much anything we could think of. I found out she was a cheerleader for the football team, team captain as a matter of fact.

"Karen, baby?" I heard Luke call. I looked up and he was walking through the crowd towards me. I smiled and waved, and he grinned back as he reached us. "Hey," he said, leaning up to kiss me. "You didn't come back and I was starting to wonder where you wandered off to."

"I ran into Caroline," I said, gesturing to her.

"Literally," she laughed. Luke looked confused, and I gestured to my tshirt.

"Well, you know what that means," Luke laughed. I raised an eyebrow, and he laughed again.

"I gotta take you swimming." He reached up and plucked me off the tailgate, throwing me over a shoulder and turning towards the lake.

"I'll see you at school, Caroline!" I called as we walked away.

"Have fun!" she laughed, waving. Luke walked us out to the lake until the noise of the party was just a murmur. It was dark, but there was enough light to see each other still. He set me down and yanked off his tshirt. I stopped moving, stunned by his chiseled chest and flat stomach. He hung his shirt on the tree, followed by his hat, then yanked off his boots and jeans. I squealed and covered my eyes. Luke and I hadn't been intimate yet, but if he kept this up, I wasn't going to be able to control myself.

"Luke, what are you doing?" I giggled, peeking through my fingers. He was hanging his clothes on the tree limbs, standing in his black boxers. He turned and winked at me.

"Come on now, darlin', we're just going swimming," he laughed, walking towards me and yanking my hands down. "You want me to go in and wait for you in the water so you can change?" I nodded slowly, and he kissed me softly. "Alright, just come on in when you're done." He turned and walked into the lake until he was about waist deep. As I watched the moonlight reflect off the lake and shine onto my amazing boyfriend, I took a deep breath. It was now or never. I sat down and plucked off my boots, placing them next to Luke's before pulling off my shorts, tank, and tied up t-shirt. I was now just standing in my red bra and panties. I walked towards the water, stopping near the edge. Luke's back was to me, and he was drawing circles in the water with his finger. I took one more deep breath, then walked further in. The lake was like bath water, warm but not so hot it'd burn your skin off. I came up behind Luke and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades.

"Hey baby," I whispered. He started to turn, and I squealed and lowered my body into the water until just my head was poking out.

"What are you doing?" He laughed.

"I'm hiding my body," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Why?"

"I'm in my underwear Mr. Bryan!" I laughed. He chuckled, then reached under the water and grabbed my hand.

"Baby, you don't have to hide from me," he said seriously, running his thumb over my knuckles. "It's just like we're in bathing suits."

"That's not the problem," I mumbled.

"Then what is?"

"I don't like it," I whispered. I felt Luke's hand under my chin, and he lifted my head so I would look at him. The look in his eyes made my heart swell, he looked so concerned but in love.

"Karen, listen to me, baby," he said quietly. "There is nothing wrong with you. You are gorgeous, inside and out. You have a rockin' body, with beautiful long legs, stunning eyes, and a shining smile. You're sweet, smart, funny, sincere, loving...there's so much I could say about you. But you don't have to be shy with me. I will be here for you no matter what."

"Thank you, Luke," I said, blinking back tears. "You're so sweet."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "Now, come on, stand up. Don't be shy." He let go of my hand and stepped back a foot or two. I slowly stood up out of the water, looking down the entire time. I could see the moonlight hitting my chest and stomach, and went to cover them with my arms when Luke's hands shot out and stopped me.

"Don't," he said firmly. I looked up at him, and I wish I'd had a camera at that point. His eyes were shining, and his mouth was hanging open a little. "You're beautiful," he whispered. I lowered my arms, and Luke's eyes went up and down and back up. "Come here." He reached out a hand, and I took it, following him deeper into the water, until our shoulders and heads were the only things above the surface. He took me into his arms and slowly spun me around, his forehead touching mine. He gazed into my eyes, swaying us gently. Finally, he stopped, and leaned in, kissing me gently. He pressed against me, his arms holding me close. I kissed him back with equal passion, and our kiss became more heated. His hand came up to tangle in my hair, tilting my head up more towards his. His teeth softly bit my lower lip, and when I gasped, his tongue darted out to tangle with mine in my mouth. We finally pulled apart, panting. I looked up at Luke, and his eyes were closed, forehead wrinkled. He looked deep in thought.

"You okay, baby?" I asked. His eyes slowly opened, and he looked into mine.

"Karen..." I looked at him, and he swallowed nervously. "I-I love you. I don't know what it is about you, but these past couple months have been the best months of my life. I can't stop thinking about you, you consume every thought I have, and I don't want it to stop. I love you with every fiber of my being, and I just want you to know how I feel." I felt tears leaking from my eyes as he talked, his words were so sweet. His thumb came up to brush a tear away, cupping my cheek. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Luke," I choked out. He smiled lovingly and kissed me slowly and softly. His hands went to my hips, and his fingers tightened, thumbs rubbing circles on my hips. My hands went into his hair, playing with the hair at the base of his neck.

"Karen," Luke panted, pulling back. "I don't think I'll be able to control myself if we keep kissing like this."

"Do you...want to have sex?" I asked.

"I don't want to just have sex with you," he said, holding my face between his hands. "I want to make love to you, the girl I love with all of my heart. I'll be gentle with you, I promise. I just want to show you how much I love you, and how you're meant to be worshipped." I thought it over for a minute. I'd been intimate before, with my boyfriend from my senior year of high school. We didn't last, obviously, but I realized I didn't love that boy the way I love Luke. Luke was much sweeter, much kinder, and he treated me like there was no other girl in this world than me.

"Okay," I whispered.

"Yes?"

"Yes, Luke," I giggled. "Let's just go home, first, if you don't mind."

"Of course," he grinned. He picked me up, bridal style, and walked us up back to the tree. We quickly got dressed, then went over to Luke's truck, which was luckily not being danced on. He closed the tailgate, hollered goodbye to his friends, and we drove off into the night. The whole way to my apartment, his hand was on my upper thigh, his fingers dancing over my skin. Finally, we got to my apartment, and ran up the stairs. As I fumbled with my keys to unlock the door, his hands were on my hips, and he was kissing my neck. Finally, I got the door open, and he pulled me inside, slamming the door behind me.


	4. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

College started up, which meant Luke and I were super busy now. We had classes most days of the week, and when we weren't at school, I was working or he was helping out his family on the farm. But we always made sure to make time for each other. We had lunch together during school days, and we made sure Saturday nights were date night.

One day, I was hurrying across campus to meet Luke at our lunch spot. I spotted him from across the courtyard, and I raised my hand to wave at him, but I then realized he was talking to someone. As I got closer, I realized it was Caroline.

"Hey, baby!" I smiled, walking up and kissing Luke on the cheek.

"Hey, darlin'," he grinned, kissing my forehead. "How was class?"

"Good, thanks. You hungry?"

"Starving!"

"As always," I giggled. I turned and smiled at Caroline. "Hey, Caroline! How are you? I haven't seen you since the party over the summer!"

"I'm good, thanks!" she said. "I was just talking to Luke, he was telling me all about you guys and how great you're doing."

"Aww, that was sweet of him," I said, looking up and smiling at him. He grinned and laughed.

"You know I love you," he said, squeezing my hand.

"Well, I'm gonna get going, I gotta class in a few, I'll see y'all later!" She hugged me briefly, then hugged Luke and kissed his cheek. I don't know why, but that prickled me a little bit. Before I could say anything, though, she'd scurried off.

"That was weird," I said, following Luke into the cafeteria.

"She's just friendly, baby," Luke said, kissing my temple as we got in line. "She ain't gonna steal me away from you."

"Alright," I smiled. I wanted to believe him, but something in the back of my mind still stuck that she was up to something.

As time went on, I noticed Caroline popping up in our lives more and more. She seemed to be showing up wherever Luke and I were, or would be there talking to Luke when I was coming. But as soon as she saw me, she'd make an excuse to leave.

One night, when Luke and I were watching TV in my apartment, I noticed he was really quiet. I looked over, and he was texting.

"Who're you texting, baby?" I asked him. He didn't respond, so I leaned over to look. "Caroline? What the hell, Luke?" I snatched his phone and scrolled through the messages.

"Hey!" Luke hollered, trying to grab his phone back. "What are you doing?"

"You've been texting her all night! I repeat, what the hell Luke?" I cried, turning and throwing his phone at him.

"She's upset, she's not doing so well in school," Luke explained.

"Oh, bull, I bet she's fine!" I cried, standing up and walking around the couch. "Have you not noticed how she pops up _everywhere _you are? She just happens to be there when you are? She's stalking you, Luke!"

"No she's not! She's just being a friend, Karen, that's all! Calm down!" Luke cried, standing up and following me around the couch.

"If she's just a friend, then tell me why she's flirting with you all the time?"

"So what if she likes me? I don't like her like that!"

"You _know _she likes you? Why do you keep talking to her?!"

"She's not gonna steal me, stop being so damn paranoid!" he screamed. I huffed and walked towards my room. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to bed, you know where the door is!" I yelled, trying to slam the door in his face. He stopped it with his arm, though, and followed me in. I backed up until my back hit the wall, and Luke stopped in front of me, his hand coming up to rest beside my head. He looked into my eyes, and I could see the anger burning in them. But I also saw something else…lust?

Before I knew what was happening, Luke was kissing me. And I mean _kissing me_. His hands were in my hair, his tongue was in my mouth, and I wasn't stopping him. This seemed to be a regular thing now; whenever we fought, we ended up making love. But I wasn't complaining. He was great at kissing and lovemaking, and I loved him with every fiber of my heart. What I didn't love, though, was the fighting. I didn't know how to fix it though.

One day, while Luke was at a family pool party, and I got home from work, I got a call from my Momma.

"Hey Momma, what's up?"

"Hey honey, how are you doing? How's college?"

"Pretty good, just taking it day by day."

"That's good." There was a long pause. I could tell something was up.

"Momma, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Honey, my business has been taking off lately, and I can't keep up with the demand. I really could use your help, especially since your brother is still in school, and he needs lookin' after." My younger brother, Chance, had Autism, so it was hard sometimes for my mom to run her store and leave him home alone.

"Are you asking me to move back home?"

"I am," she sighed. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, with you starting school again up there, and you have that boy Luke you're seeing." That made my heart twinge a little. "But I really, really need your help. You're all I've got, honey." I nodded to myself, listening to her. I didn't want to let my Momma down, but I didn't want to leave Luke either. But she and Chance were family, and I couldn't leave them behind.

"Alright, I'll move back down. Just give me a week or two to get everything ready. Do you still have the guest house out back for rent?"

"I do, but you can have it. I know you acquired a lot of stuff since you moved up there, so that can be your house."

"Thanks, Momma. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie. Keep me posted."

"I will. Bye." I sighed, hitting 'end' on my phone. I stared at it for a minute, and felt tears prick my eyes. Everything I had in this town, I had to leave behind. I had finally started a life on my own, and now I had to take it back. But, as I sat there thinking to myself, maybe it was a good thing. Luke and I had been fighting a lot, maybe the distance would help us in the end. I knew I couldn't do a long distance relationship, that wouldn't be fair to him, but we could still be friends. I took a deep breath and started making calls.

I called work first, giving them my two weeks' notice and explained what was going on. Then, I called school and withdrew myself from all my classes. After that, I called a moving company that moved crates of furniture across states, and arranged for them to pick up my stuff in two weeks. Once I'd made my phone calls, I went to a moving store and picked up a few boxes to pack the stuff that was too small to go in the moving crates by itself.

When I got home, I flopped down on my bed, exhausted emotionally and mentally. I was about to drift off when my phone rang. I looked down at the caller ID and felt my heart sink: Luke.

"Hey," I answered quietly.

"Hey, darlin', how was work?" Luke asked. I could hear laughter, music, and splashing in the background. He was still at the party.

"It was okay," I mumbled, picking at the sheets on my bed.

"You okay? Is something wrong?" Luke asked. I could hear the concern in his voice, and it made my heart ache.

"Luke," I sighed. "I…I have to move."

"Like out of your apartment?"

"Well, not like you're thinking. I have to move back home," I explained. The silence on the other end of the phone was deafening.

"What about school? Or work? What about us?" Luke's voice was cracking. I had never heard or seen him cry, but I could tell he was trying not to.

"It's my Mom, Luke," I went on. "She needs my help with the store, and taking care of Chance. He's getting older and bigger, and she's getting old, she can't do it all by herself. I already gave my notice to work, and withdrew from school. I have to leave, Luke. I'm sorry."

"I just," Luke sighed. "I don't want you to leave, Karen. I love you."

"I know," I said quietly. "I love you too. But maybe it's for the best. We have been fighting a lot. Maybe the distance will do us some good. I'll still text and call you. But I can't do a long distance relationship, it's just not fair to either one of us." Luke was quiet, but he finally sighed.

"Alright. Will you at least spend the night with me the night before you leave?"

"Of course," I smiled sadly. "Do you wanna come over after the party?"

"Sure," he said. "I'll call you when I'm leaving."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. Bye." I hung up and sighed. I picked up my iPad, flipping through pictures of Luke and I. We looked so happy. I wish it didn't have to end this way.

I must've gotten caught up in the pictures, because Luke showed up an hour later. He had a key, so it didn't shock me when he came in.

"Hey, baby," he said quietly, standing next to my bed. I looked up at him, and I could see the sadness in his eyes. It broke my heart.

"Hey," I mumbled. I put the iPad down and reached for his hand. He crouched down and held my hand in both of his, kissing the knuckles. "You wanna stay the night?"

"More than anything," he said. He kicked off his shoes, climbed into bed with me, and we laid there for what felt like forever, just holding each other.

The two weeks went by really fast, faster than I would've liked. Luke and Ali helped me pack my stuff up, and sooner rather than later, it was the night before I had to leave. I brought a suitcase with me to Luke's, and he had me put it in his room before leading me into the kitchen. We sat down and each had a glass of wine. He would reach over every now and then and caress my face, pain in his eyes.

"Come here," he whispered. He stood up and pulled me with him, and pulled me into a hug. We stood there for a few minutes, just swaying and holding each other. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, touching his face. The pain and hurt was evident in his eyes, and I couldn't stand it. I tried to walk away, but he grabbed my hand. When I looked back at him, he pulled my arm, and yanked me in for a searing kiss.

We eventually made our way to his bedroom, and he sat down on the bed, holding me between his legs, kissing me. He peeled off my dress, and we became tangled in the sheets.

The next morning, when it was still dark out, we woke up. I gave him a soft kiss, and he looked at me sadly. He got up and got dressed finally, and so did I. As he looked out his window, sadly, I looked down at my phone, then back at him. I had to go, the movers were going to be at my place soon. I smiled softly, and when he looked at me, I blew him a kiss. He grinned and pretended to catch it, and placed it on his heart.

Finally, after many long stares, I grabbed my suitcase, and left the man I loved behind.


	5. Crash My Party

LUKE'S POV

It's been a wild couple years.

When Karen left, things seemed to pick up for me. Not only did I graduate college, but I was picked up by a record label. I put out my first album in 2007, and I even had a couple singles off of it. My album in 2009 was even more popular. I was becoming a more known name, and people were buying my songs and CD's, and coming to my shows. I'm telling you, from the second I stepped into that recording studio, I knew this is what I was meant to do. I got a high off every part of it, from recording to performing. Everything about this life was great.

Then there's the deal with Caroline. She helped me repair my heart when Karen left, and we started dating soon after, and now we're married. We got married shortly before my first album came out, at the end of 2006. It just seemed like the right thing to do, marry her. I didn't know when I was gonna see Karen again, and I did love Caroline, but I didn't know if I was _in _love with her. I do know I loved our boys, though. Bo was born in 2008, and he was the cutest little thing. Tate just turned one, and he was so sweet. They didn't understand their daddy was a superstar yet, but they did love being on the road with me. They liked to see all the places we visited, and dance on stage from time to time. Caroline and I, however, had been fighting a lot lately. I don't know why, but one day she just came home in a bad mood, and has been in one ever since. I tried to get her to tell me what was wrong, but she was more stubborn than a mule. I eventually just gave up, and now, we're separated, she has the boys at home with her, and I'm on the road, missing them like crazy. I just released my new album, and we were doing a couple promotional gigs along the coast to get the word out. The first song I released as a single, "Country Girl," I wrote about the night I met Karen. Caroline didn't know that, but then again, she didn't need to know.

"Hey, Luke, you ready? Crowd's waiting!" My manager, Gordon, grinned, as he poked his head into my makeshift dressing room.

"Hell yeah! Let's do this!" I cried, standing up and straightening my shirt, following him out to the stage. I put my ear piece in, grabbed a mic from the stagehand, and bounded out to thunderous cheers.

"What's up y'all?" I cried. They screamed in response, which made me grin. "My name's Luke Bryan. Thank you all so much for coming out tonight. I'm gonna do a couple songs for y'all. Sound good?" They cheered again. "Alright! This one's called 'Country Girl.'" As the opening chords played and the crowd stomped their feet, I sang and danced across the stage. They seemed to like it when I shook my hips, so I kept that up. Before I knew it, it was the last song. As I finished, I thanked them one more time, and told them I'd be out back by the Meet and Greet tents if they wanted to come and say hey.

"Woo, that was fun!" I said, handing the mic back to the stagehand and taking out my ear piece.

"You say that after every show," Gordon laughed.

"Only 'cause it's true!" I laughed. I followed him out the back doors to the tent where the line was already forming. All of a sudden, my phone went off. "Hold on a 'sec guys." I stepped aside and looked at the caller ID. It was a number I didn't have saved. Weird. I picked it up anyway.

"Hello?" I heard a gasp. "Um, hello?"

"Luke? It's me…" a small voice said. It was a girl, but I didn't recognize the voice at first.

"Me who?" I asked.

"It's…it's Karen." That's when my heart stopped. "Look up." I slowly looked up and saw a girl with blonde hair looking at me, a phone to her ear. But I looked at her face, and saw the face that captured my heart all those years ago. I hung up and put my phone in my pocket, all the while walking over to her.

"Hi," I whispered.

"Hey," she smiled.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came down here for a little mini vacation, saw you were performing, and thought I'd stop by. I see you didn't change your phone number," she giggled.

"I was hoping you'd call me," I said matter-of-factly. She giggled again, and I smiled.

"Do you wanna wait backstage while I do the meet and greets? Maybe we can hang out afterwards?"

"That sounds great," she grinned. I pulled her around the gate, introduced her to Gordon, and he took her backstage while I went to the tent. I signed autographs and took pictures for a couple hours, enjoying my time with the fans. Once the last one was gone, I jumped up from the table and ran backstage. I found Karen sitting on the couch, playing with her phone.

"Hey," I grinned, flopping down next to her. She looked up and smiled, putting her phone away.

"Hey."

"So, what do you wanna do?"

"Did you already clear it with your team?"

"They'll be fine, I just gotta be back at the hotel before dawn," I laughed. She laughed too, and I can honestly say I missed that sound.

"Well, I haven't eaten yet. You maybe wanna grab some food? We could go back to the condo I'm renting for the weekend and just talk?"

"That sounds perfect." I got up and told Gordon where I was going, and he gave me the okay. I followed Karen to her car, and we went and picked up Chinese take-out before heading back to her condo.

It was a little house on a dirt road by the beach, very quiet and very private. We went inside, and she turned on the light in the living room. It was a little cottage really, with light colored couches and chairs, wooden tables, and lots of beach décor.

"How'd you find this place?" I asked her, setting our food on the coffee table.

"I was just looking for a place to stay while I was down here," she said off-handed, sitting next to me. "It's fully furnished, they just rent it out to whoever wants to stay here for however long."

"Well, it's very nice," I commented, opening my egg roll and taking a bite. "So, you know how I've been, how've you been? How's your Mom?"

"She's good," Karen nodded, spooning shrimp and rice up to her mouth. "She finally retired, after much convincing, but she's getting older, and she really needs to just relax."

"That's good. And how's your little brother? Chance right?"

"Yeah, he's doing good," she said. "He graduated high school, and he's actually working at the movie theatre in town. He takes tickets or works concessions, he loves it."

"That's great," I smiled. "Did you ever finish college?"

"I got my two year degree before I moved to Georgia, if you remember," she said. I nodded. "But I wasn't able to finish my Bachelor's, sadly. I had to help my mom so much, there really wasn't time for school."

"I'm sorry," I frowned, squeezing her hand. I felt that little spark, the spark I first felt when I met her.

"It's okay, opportunities will come and go," she said. Before I could ask what she meant, she asked "So, do you like being a singer?"

"I love it," I told her. "I write a lot of my own songs, but there's always a team of us working on them. But they're usually my ideas that make up most of the songs. You know my song, 'Country Girl?'"

"Yeah…?" I could hear the question in her voice.

"I wrote that about the night we met," I told her. She widened her eyes, and swallowed her food quickly.

"Oh," she said. She laughed a little. "Well, thank you. I bet that didn't make Caroline happy."

"She doesn't know," I said. Karen laughed again. We talked some more while we finished our food, then watched some TV and cuddled on the couch. It was nice, being able to hold her again like I used to. I really wanted to kiss her, but I didn't want to overstep my boundaries.

My phone rang, causing us both to jump. I looked at the caller ID.

"It's my manager," I sighed. I answered, and he told me I needed to be back in an hour if I didn't want to look like a zombie during tomorrow's show, since it was mid-afternoon.

"I gotta go," I said sadly, looking down at Karen. She pouted, and I couldn't help but laugh. I touched her face gently. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Come to the show, I'll hang out with you again after. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," she smiled. We both got up, and she followed me to the door. I turned to her before I opened it, pulled her into my arms, and kissed her full on the mouth. She seemed surprised, but she melted into my embrace and kissed me back. We stood there, holding each other and kissing, for what felt like forever. But eventually, we pulled away.

"I missed that," I whispered.

"What about…?"

"We're separated," I whispered back, knowing she was going to ask about Caroline. She nodded and smiled, and gave me a quick kiss before leading me outside and getting in the car. She drove me back to my hotel, and I gave her another kiss before heading inside. I watched her car as she disappeared around the corner, and my heart went with her.


	6. That's My Kind of Night

LUKE'S POV

I surprised Karen the next morning, picking her up in this big, black truck my team rented for me.

"Hey, sleepyhead," I laughed, when she answered the door, rubbing her eyes and still in her PJ's. "It's 10:30. I tried calling you."

"Some people like to sleep in," she mumbled, but she grinned and let me inside. "Just let me get dressed. I'm assuming you're taking me to the show?"

"Duh." She laughed, and I sat down and flipped through the channels while she got dressed. Once she came out, in a tshirt, jean skirt, and boots, I led her outside to the truck. It was now 11, and my show was at 12.

"Wow, that's a beauty," she commented, staring at it.

"I know right?" I grinned. I opened her door and helped her inside, then went around and got into the driver seat. We drove down to where the show was, and I led her backstage, where the crew was eating lunch. I introduced her to my team, and then we each grabbed a sub and sat down with them, chatting away. Soon enough, I had to go on stage and sing, but Karen watched from backstage, smiling whenever she caught me looking at her. When the show was over, I did another meet and greet, and finally, was done around 3:30.

"So, what do you wanna do?" Karen asked as we got back in the truck.

"You think I don't have something planned, missy?" I chuckled.

"I should've known better," she grinned. "You're always full of surprises."

"That I am." As we drove, I popped in a mix CD I'd made, and Karen laughed.

"Is this T-Pain?"

"Maybe," I laughed. "I like to make it rain." She laughed even harder at that. We drove for a little while, finally coming to a stop near a river. A boat was tied to the dock, a little row boat.

"Ready to go fishing?" I asked her.

"I'd love to," she smiled. I grabbed the poles and tackle box I'd stored in the back, and led her over to the boat. I helped her in, then got in myself and rowed us down the river. Once we got to a good spot, I threw the makeshift anchor out and gave her her pole. We sat and talked quietly for hours, just enjoying each other's company, the water, and the nature. We ended up catching a couple catfish, and when we got back to the dock, I had her wait with the boat while I got more stuff out of the bed of the truck. I pulled out a couple fire logs, some lighter fluid and matches, and cooking supplies. I set up a fire, and she sat down and watched me cook the catfish. It was a comfortable silence, but I enjoyed having her by my side.

"Thank you, Chef Luke," she said as I handed her a paper plate with her catfish.

"You're welcome. Let me know how it is." She took a bite, and I saw her eyes widen.

"Mmm, this is so good," she groaned. "Where'd you learn to cook catfish?" I gave her a knowing look, and she nodded. "Momma."

"You got it," I laughed. We sat and talked over our dinner, and pretty soon, we could only see by the light of the fire.

"Hey, you wanna go swimming?" I asked her.

"You mean, like at that party before college?" she asked. I nodded, and she thought it over in her head before nodding. "Okay." We got undressed, hanging our clothes on the tree limbs, only now in our undergarments, and eased on in to the river. We swam around, splashing each other and acting like kids. I was chasing her around, and finally caught her in my arms.

"Got you!" I laughed. I turned her to face me, and smiled down at her. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. God, I'd missed her. I slowly leaned down and kissed her. She tangled her hands in my hair, and mine went down to her hips. I nibbled her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to meet my tongue with hers. Things were quickly getting heated, and I didn't want to push her, so I reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Do you…wanna get out? Maybe dry off and we can go back to your house? Watch a movie?" I asked her quietly.

"I'd like that," she smiled. We got out, and I got some towels out of the truck, and handed her one so we could dry off. Once we were dry and dressed, I put out the fire.

"Wait, I got one more surprise," I told her, opening the truck door, letting the light flood the field. I turned on the truck, and then the radio, and the first song we'd danced to together came on. She smiled real big, and I grabbed her hand, twirling her around as we danced. She laughed and sang along as we spun around in the field. Finally, the song ended, and we got into the truck.

"That was fun," she commented, buckling her seatbelt. "Thank you for the really fun night."

"Anything for you," I told her, squeezing her hand. We drove back to her cottage, and as promised, we picked out a movie, cuddling on the couch together. I drew lazy circles with my fingers on her exposed stomach, and she rubbed my knee. I ended up getting lost in thought, thinking about the last time I'd seen her. How heartbroken I'd been, how much I didn't want her to go, how good she felt in my arms as I held her….how hot she'd looked in that damn dress. I remember the love we made, and how amazing it'd been. I so badly wanted to be that way with her again. Ever since Caroline had Tate, we hadn't had sex. That was over a year ago. I wasn't complaining really; like I said, I loved her, but I wasn't in love with her. She didn't hold a candle to Karen. I didn't want to overstep my boundaries, but at the same time…

"Boundaries be damned," I groaned, reaching for her.

"What?" Karen asked, but before she could even ask what I was doing, I pushed her down on the couch, climbed on top of her, and kissed her deeply. She sighed into my mouth, holding my face. Clothes were flying off, and I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me. We fell into the bed, and I made slow, sweet, hot love to the woman who had held my heart all along. It was the perfect night.


	7. Play It Again

LUKE'S POV

I woke up the next morning, the sun filtering in through the blinds, shining on me and Karen. I was holding her in my arms, and she was warm. I snuggled into her back and kissed her between the shoulder blades. I felt her stir and smiled.

"Good morning, beautiful," I said softly to her as she rolled over. She smiled at me and yawned.

"You stayed the night?" she asked.

"I did," I told her. When she looked at me confused, I explained "I called Gordon, he said it was okay, since today is just the wrap-up party anyway."

"Okay, I just didn't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"It'd be worth it," I whispered, cupping her face in my hand and leaning down to kiss her. She sighed into my mouth and rubbed my bicep. "Do you want to come to the wrap party with me?" I asked her.

"Sure," she nodded. "As long as it's okay with your manager."

"I'm sure it's fine," I told her, getting up and stretching. "He's pretty chill with everything." We went to the bathroom and took a shower together, trading kisses and scrubbing each other's backs. Karen changed into a loose tshirt and sweatpants, gave me an extra pair she had that were too big, and we laid on the couch, watching movies, until it was time to go to the party. She changed into cut-off shorts and a flowered tank top, and I led her out to the truck.

Once we arrived, Karen looked at me funny.

"I thought you said it was a wrap party?"

"It is," I laughed.

"Then why does it look like one of the parties we used to go to in college?"

"Because I asked them to do it like one," I laughed again. I opened the door and jerked my head out. "Come on, silly." She followed me out, and we greeted my crew. I introduced her to everybody, and she quickly made friends.

"I'm gonna go get a drink, you want anything, darlin'?" I asked her.

"Just a beer, please," she replied. I kissed her temple and nodded, walking over to the kegs and cooler.

"So, what's going on with you two?" Gordon asked, sliding up next to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, pouring some beer from the keg into a Dixie cup.

"Luke," he started. "Everyone can tell you are head over heels for this girl. You have _never _treated her like you do Caroline," he said. "Is she the girl you always talk about when you're writing songs?" I looked down at the cup in my hands, nodding. I heard Gordon sigh and looked up. "Then why don't you make this separation from Caroline permanent? Divorce her and be with Karen instead?"

"It's not that easy," I mumbled. "I'll be busy all year, she has her own life…it just wouldn't click. Plus, what would I tell Bo and Tate? That I left their mom to be with the girl I loved before her?"

"Yes, Luke, you do," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "They're not old enough to understand now, but when they are, you tell them the truth; that you and Caroline love them very much, but that you just weren't right for each, and you love Karen with your whole heart. She was the girl you always loved." His voice dropped lower, almost to a whisper. "I've seen the look in your eyes when you're writing songs about her. You never stopped loving her. She means more to you than anyone in the world, except maybe your boys." He smiled. "Go, Luke. Be with her. I know you would've been with her from the start if she didn't have to move. Tell her how you feel." I looked back down at the beer cups in my hands, swirling the liquid around. I looked back up at Gordon, smiled, and nodded.

"Thanks, man, I owe you one," I told him.

"Anytime."

I walked back over to where I'd left Karen. She was sitting on someone's tailgate, swinging her legs, lost in thought.

"Hey, pretty lady," I said, jumping up next to her. I handed her her cup, and she smiled at me.

"Thanks."

"So, you got a boyfriend?" I asked, slinging an arm around her. She laughed and shook her head, taking a sip. "What? No way!" I asked in mock disbelief. She laughed again. God, I loved making her laugh. We kept talking and laughing, drinking our beer, when a song came on over the radio that made Karen cut me off midsentence.

"Oh my God! This is my song!" she cried, jumping down. "I've been sitting here all night waiting for them to play it, and here it is!" She started dancing to the beat, shaking her hips and throwing her hands in the air. I just laughed and watched her shake.

"Come here, boy," she laughed, grabbing my hand. "I wanna dance." Before I could say word, she'd yanked me off the tailgate and was spinning me around in a circle with her. We danced together until it faded out, and she leaned in and gave me a big 'ol kiss.

"Play it again!" she cried, shouting at the truck's radio. I laughed and shook my head.

"You're such a goof," I told her, pulling her into my arms and kissing her gently.

We stayed at the party for a few more hours, before she started getting sleepy, and asked me to take her home. I agreed, and after a round of goodbyes, and permission from Gordon to stay with her again, we left.

As we drove, I scanned the radio; every station on AM, FM, XM…you name it, I was scanning it, looking for that damn song. As we pulled into her driveway, I finally found it.

"Oh my God! My song!" she cried, immediately waking up. "We've been listening all night long, and I didn't think they'd play it again, but here it is!" She jumped out of the truck, raced around to my side, and yanked me out. We danced and spun in the headlights, laughing and singing along. When it ended, she gave me another big kiss, laughing.

"Play it again?" I said, grinning at her. She laughed and shook her head.

"I don't know about you, but I'm tired," she said. I shut off the truck and followed her inside, getting ready for bed with her.

"Tomorrow's my last day," I told her, pulling her in to me on the bed and putting my head on her arm, trying to see her face over her back. "You wanna go on a date? Maybe to the pier? They have this big rollercoaster I've been dying to try." She nodded.

"That sounds like fun," she said quietly.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked her.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just sleepy." She flicked off the lamp, and we settled into the sheets. "Goodnight, Luke."

"Goodnight, Karen." She quickly fell asleep, but I couldn't help feeling something was off…


End file.
